ENJOY YOUR HEALTHY SNACKS!

People are often confused when we tell them to snack between meals.

"Doesn't snacking make you fat?" they ask.

Well, yes, the wrong type of snacking can contribute to weight gain. We're so used to thinking of snacks as junk food, that we've forgotten how to snack healthfully.

The right type of snacking can actually be extremely beneficial in helping you get more important nutrients into your diet (snacks should contain either fruit or vegetables), as well as helping to keep you satisfied between meals so that you don't overeat later.

Here are some of our favorite healthy snacks:


MID-MORNING SNACKS
(fruit + protein)

• Lowfat cottage cheese & mixed berries
• Frozen grapes & almonds
  
• Nonfat yogurt, sunflower seeds & any type of fruit
  
• Orange slices & cashews
• Apple & peanut butter
• Homemade fruit smoothies with yogurt or whey protein powder (beware of the high-sugar, high-calorie smoothies from places like Jamba Juice)

MID-AFTERNOON SNACKS
(vegetables + protein)

• Broccoli & yogurt
• Cherry tomatoes & light string cheese
• Carrots, akmak crackers & hummus
• Lettuce leaf wrapped around a slice of turkey or chicken
• Low-sodium chicken broth with any frozen veggies & a few slivered almonds
• Egg whites with veggies
• Air popped popcorn & a few raw almonds
• Protein-rich dip & raw veggies (carrots, snap peas, celery, bell peppers, baby tomatoes) See this week's AAY! Newsletter for a cashew dip recipe and other ideas for protein-rich dips. Download the newsletter from AAYBootCamp.com

Now it's your turn. Tell us about what you like to snack on.